Funk Junk owner Matt Thompson opened Snap Studios in North London to offer a premium space with excellent gear for projects on a budget. Andrew Low talks to studio manager Marco Pasquariello about the philosophy of this unique studio…

We wanted to build a unique, creative

environment that allows people to work in a completely

unrestricted way. Marco Pasquariello

N

orth London’s Finsbury Park has hosted many landmark moments in music history: Jimi Hendrix burned his guitar on stage for the first time ever in 1967 during a concert in

the park; the Sex Pistols held their come back concert there in 1996 and Rage Against the Machine booked its free ‘Thank You’ concert on the grounds after a dedicated group of fans campaigned to have its song, Killing in the Name, swipe the UK Christmas number one spot from X-Factor winner Joe McElderry. Snap Studios hopes to add to this legacy as it has opened its doors on the edge of the park in Manor House. With two mix rooms, an enviable collection of vintage gear and a giant live room, Snap is an uncommon entity operated by a group of engineers who have set out to contribute to the legacy of great music. The studio houses the personal collection of Snap and Funky Junk owner Mark Thompson. As you can imagine, having run one of Europe’s largest pro audio distribution companies and leading seller of brands such as SSL, Neve, Trident and Amek for the past 20 years, Thompson has amassed a collection of the best pieces of recording equipment ever made. Since opening in February of this year, Snap has already received praise from top names in the business such as Tony Platt, Guy Massey and Ray Staff, to name but a few, and won the 2010 Audio Pro Industry Excellence Award for Best New Studio.

Studio manager Marco Pasquariello explains that the studio was designed as a creative recording environment rather than a sterile studio: “We wanted to build a unique, creative environment that allows people to work in a completely unrestricted way, and that maybe encourages them to try out new ideas in the

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studio. All backed up with the finest gear imaginable and, most importantly, at an affordable price. We’re very lucky that the clients we’ve had so far share our vision and passion. “We wanted to create a hands-on sort of place where the atmosphere is conducive to the creative process of making music. Little quirky touches like the Astroturf in the corridors and the Victorian tiles in the kitchen all add to a unique vibe in the place, and people seem to love it. “We have old-school values and run the studio like a family, regarding many of our clients as friends. We aim to provide an all- inclusive service, which is hopefully what sets us aside from similar studios of the same size and price. “We try and make sure that we look after our clients so they feel completely at ease during their stay, providing dedicated tech support and assistance.”

STUDIO ONE At the centre of Studio One’s control room is a rare 1972 Neve 5316 console fitted with Flying Faders and 16 channels of original ISA110 pre/eq’s. This can be used to record to a Pro Tools HD3 system or an Otari MX80 24/16-track analog tape machine. The room’s unique monitoring system features Tannoy main monitors augmented with ATC 15-inch subs and Tannoy Supertweeters with custom Westiwick crossovers, alongside ATC’s brand new SCM25 SL Pro nearfields. A never-ending list of classic outboard from the names you

would expect from a studio three times the size, including a Fairchild 670, Pultec eq, Urie, Decca, Pye and other esteemed brands, are available in the room, in addition to EMT 140 and 240 plates and a unique custom made tile room. “We took a lot of care in designing the layout of Studio One. We wanted it to feel as comfortable as possible to work in,”